New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Willie Green has been named the Western Conference Coach of the Month for December 2022, the NBA announced today.
After guiding the Pelicans to a 10-5 record in the month of December, the Pelicans currently sit third in the Western Conference rankings with a 23-14 record, a 10-win improvement from last season and the franchise’s third-best start through 37 games. New Orleans notched two separate five-game winning streaks in December, and finished the month with an 8-1 record at the Smoothie King Center.
During the month of December the Pelicans ranked third in the NBA, averaging 118.3 points per game. New Orleans was the only Western Conference team to finish the month in the top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (6th) rating, and also finished sixth in the NBA and second in Western Conference in net rating (3.3).
Green is the fourth coach in New Orleans franchise history to garner Coach of the Month honors, joining Monty Williams (January 2011), Byron Scott (January 2008, December 2008), and Paul Silas (April 2003).
